Clause 487 - Offences by companies.

Corporate liability: company and responsible persons are deemed guilty unless due diligence is proven, officers separately liable.

Offences by a company render the company and each person in charge and responsible for its business at the time of the offence deemed guilty and liable to prosecution, subject to an available defence that the person lacked knowledge or exercised all due diligence to prevent the offence. Where the offence involved consent, connivance or neglect of a director, manager, secretary or other officer, that officer is separately deemed guilty irrespective of the general deeming rule. For offences punishable with imprisonment and fine the company is fined while responsible persons or culpable officers are proceeded against under the Act. 'Company' includes firms and associations; partners or controlling members count as 'directors.'